


Christmas Eve

by gingergenower



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, if harry was raised by lily and james
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 22:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9036086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingergenower/pseuds/gingergenower
Summary: Lily decorates the tree, James finds a cat, Harry helps.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas!

“James, where’s-”

“Coming!”

Harry yelps when James grabs him and throws him over his shoulder, and James whistles, wandering into the living room. He leans his head away from Harry’s kicking legs down, and grins at Lily. 

She waves her wand, draping tinsel over the tree and conjuring a fluffy cloud above it. It begins to snow, sprinkling over the tree. It’s Harry’s last Christmas before he starts at Hogwarts, and they’re both so sure he’ll love it when Lily suggested he might decide to stay there next year, James couldn’t quite forget the idea, but he’s doing his best to ignore it.

“Can I help, love?”

“Have you seen the cat?”

“I saw him wandering around the graveyard again the other day. He’s considering buying a plot,” James says, wriggling his shoulder so Harry bounces.

“ _Put me down_!”

“He hasn’t eaten at all today.”

“He’s a cat. He’s probably had three mice snacks in the last hour.”

“See if he’s outside, will you?”

James salutes, turning on his heel, and Lily flicks her wand again- Harry lands on his feet in front of James.

“Before he throws up,” Lily says, shrugging.

Harry jumps out of James’ reach, darting into the kitchen. “Love you mum!”

James just rolls his eyes, shutting the front door behind him quickly so as not to let too much cold air in. 

The fire crackles, and Harry peeks his head around the door.

“You’re safe- he’s outside.”

Harry huffs, padding out in thick knitted socks. They’re the ones she knitted for him last Christmas, and she holds out a few baubles to him. Hanging them up, he doesn’t seem to notice he’s biting his lip in concentration and none of the baubles are spaced out well.

His hands retreat to his hair, trying to flatten it, and she smiles, slipping her wand in her pocket and stretching up to put more baubles out. “It looks fine.”

It’s scruffy like James’ no matter what either of them do, and it doesn’t help that James ruffles it every five minutes.

“It looks stupid.”

She holds a star out to him, and he takes it, sighing. “Is there a reason you’ve looked worried all day?”

Wrapping the loop of ribbon around his finger, Harry looks at the star. “I don’t want to go to Aunt Petunia’s.”

Lily swallows, choosing her words. “They’re family, Harry.”

“I know. It’s rubbish.” He sees her face. “No- I don’t- urgh. Dudley’s awful.”

Trying not to smile at the image of Harry’s disastrous 5th birthday meal at Petunia’s, in which James’ wand emitted sparks at Dudley whenever he got too close to Harry’s presents and generally took a dislike to him, Lily bites her lip. “Stick close to your dad.”

“Yeah, yeah.” 

“Besides, it’ll only be a couple of hours on Boxing Day,” she says, “and then you can come back and play with all your new presents.”

Harry grins at her. “What’ve you got me?”

“Fizzing Whizbees. It was your father’s idea- we saved a lot of money on presents this year, not buying you any.”

“Ha, ha.” He smirks. “I’ve seen what he’s got you.”

“Is it beautiful, expensive and devoid of meaning?”

“Oh, it’s useless, too.”

“Perfect.”

They both think of last year- he made her the third photo album for the third year in a row, this time of the five years before Harry was born- and smile to themselves, turning back to the tree.

The door bangs open, mewling cat in James’ outstretched hands, and he kicks the door shut behind him. “One angry cat,” he says, dropping it on the carpet so it bounces away, hissing at him. “As you ordered.”

“He might hate you less if you were kinder to him.”

“Nah, Sirius called him fat and he’s never forgotten. Speaking of, Sirius reckons he’ll be over about 10 tomorrow.”

Harry’s eyes light up. “Really?”

“Yeah, I think the bugger likes you more than he likes me these days.”

Harry shrugs. “He does like me more. He told me so.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I’m funnier than you.”

“He is,” Lily says, nodding, and James throws his hands up in the air.

“The cat loves me more than anyone else in this house.”

“The cat isn’t here most of the time,” Harry says helpfully.

At that, James collapses into the armchair, hands over his face. “How can I ever recover from this?”

“I’m not sure you can. But please tell me where all the Christmas presents are, I don’t want them to go to waste.”

James leaps at Harry and throws himself around the tree in his chase, yelling about vengeance while Lily laughs and Harry tries to avoid skidding in his socks. Eventually, James gives in, hunched over and breathing heavily.

Harry stand up, looking up at Lily thoughtfully. “Mum, can we play Quidditch tomorrow? I’ve been reading and I really want to try the Wer-on-ski Feint.”

Lily whoops, pointing at James. “I told you! He’s a Seeker. Also, Harry, _no_.”

“Harry, c’mon, you want to be a Chaser like me…”

“Dad, please? It’d be so cool.”

“Listen to your mum.”

“But-”

“Harry. _No_.”

Harry huffs, folding his arms. “But I want to be on the team at Hogwarts.”

“I’ve never seen a kid with as much control as you,” James shrugs. “You’ll get on the team, no sweat.”

Sighing, Harry gives it up. For now.

James stretches out, and hands Lily the angel for the top of the tree, and gestures at Harry. “Right, kid, on my back.”

“I’m probably a bit big for this, dad.”

“Nah, not yet, maybe when you have another growth spurt…”

Harry jumps up, and James adjusts. “Your son is heavy.”

Lily holds up the angel, and Harry puts it on top of the tree. “He’s going to Hogwarts next year. He’s only going to get heavier, if I remember the feasts right…”

“Hogwarts is going to be so cool,” Harry says, sliding off James’ back. “It’s going to be weird, though. How much do parents write?”

“Every day, if you want us to,” James says, ruffling his hair.

“And I can come back in the holidays?” 

Lily kisses his forehead, and James’ hand slips into hers. “Of course.”

Harry grins. “Cool. Seriously, though, the Wer-on-ski Feint, right-”

The cat curls up next to the fire while Harry launches into the details, and Lily listens, James takes over the decorating, and their Christmas Eve is pretty quiet, nothing too special, but they don’t mind. Not at all.

**Author's Note:**

> I got Philosopher's Stone Feels with my mum over if Lily and James had lived, what Harry's life would have looked like.  
> So I wrote it.


End file.
